Decorative sheet materials of a resinous polymer composition have been manufactured for many years and one of the commonest means of creating or enhancing the decorative effects has been to provide selected portions of the surface of such decorative sheet materials with different types of contrasting finishes or effects, or surface gloss or luster differentials, for example, with smooth, glossy or lustrous surfaces; embossed, dead or dull mat surfaces; embossed, glossy or lustrous; and smooth, dead or dull mat surfaces, all sharply contrasting with one another.
Many methods, including differential mechanical embossing, inlaying, or chemical etching, and other methods, have been devised to provide such sharply contrasting surfaces but all of such prior art methods have always left something to be desired. For example, differential mechanical embossing combined with pattern or design printing has always created registration problems and related difficulties. Inlaying and chemical etching methods have normally been costly and process-time consuming.